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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Parker has always been a focused student. Her academic goals are important to her (and especially important to her mother) and now just weeks before graduation, she's so close to achieving everything she planned for. That's when Parker finds the journal—the journal of Julianna Farnetti, the town's golden girl who died under mysterious circumstances ten years earlier. Parker knows she shouldn't, but she can't help but read the journal. What she discovers will change what she thought about Julianna, and her own life.

Golden is a compelling examination of what really matters in life, and a good story that offers a welcome alternative to the myriads of messages urging teens to follow the conventional paths to success after graduation. Each chapter begins with a line or two of Robert Frost's poetry (Parker is perhaps a descendant of the great poet), which lends a literary, reflective tone to the narrative. The mystery of the novel doesn't exactly lie in the question of what happened to Julianna Farnetti, but what Parker will do with her knowledge of Julianna's last days, as chronicled in her journal. The lessons that Parker takes away from Julianna's experiences and her ultimate fate are powerful, and inspire Parker to make decisions about her life based on what she wants, not what her mother or society expects. The story moves quickly and can be both surprising and emotionally cathartic for both Parker and the reader. Golden is a great book for teens who are feeling the pressure to conform to the big expectations demanded of them in academic and professional careers, and offers a positive message about the “road less traveled by.”

Cover Comments: I think this cover is very beautiful! I love the sunlight and the golden haze, and the gold stencil drawings are really pretty.

Friday, April 26, 2013

If you follow me on Twitter (I'm @compelledtoread), you might have noticed some tweets in which I complained remarked upon a paper that I was writing. As some of you may know, I will be graduating with a BA in English in two weeks, and part of the requirements for my "magical piece of paper" (aka diploma) is that I write and present a loooooooooong paper. And so naturally I chose to write that paper on something that I am passionate about....kittens. I mean, YA literature.

About a year ago I read The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth, and then not too long after Ask the Passengers by A.S. King was released. I loved these books because they were so realistic and well-written and had excellent protagonists that I felt very strongly about. These books also made me realize that I haven't read a lot of books with teen lesbian protagonists--I could think of exactly one other book (A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend by Emily Horner, which is tragically only available in e-book format). I did a quick internet search, and came up with more titles, but the more I looked, the more I realized that there is a significant lack of books with gay girls as protagonists, especially in YA fiction. This seemed so crazy to me, especially since the majority of my blog readers are female, and it seems to me that there are way more women writing and reading YA than men (I know that this is a vast generalization, and I apologize for it).

I wrote my paper on the history of lesbian protagonists in YA fiction, and how they've developed from the stereotyped, punished side characters in various novels to the "tragic" depictions like Eliza and Annie in Annie on My Mind, to a more modern (and in my opinion, much more realistic) depiction of a teen lesbian who may face discrimination, yet whose stories aren't centered around issues of coming out or discrimination.

I had a lot of fun researching, and I think that if you are interested in learning more about the hard facts of under-representation of LGBT characters in YA, check out Malinda Lo's amazing blog post, "I have numbers! Stats on LGBT YA Books Published in the US." In fact, her blog is a gold mine of great discussions and information about diversity in YA, especially when it comes to sexuality. Her website is a great starting point for research and education.

Another book I found extremely helpful was The Heart Has Its Reasons: Young Adult Literature With Gay/Lesbian/Queer Content, 1969-2004 by Michael Cart and Christine Jenkins (a little pricey, but widely available through inter-library loan). This draws upon so many sources and the two authors offer great insights (even when they sometimes have different views on certain subjects--I loved that they weren't always perfectly agreed on everything). Plus, Christine Jenkins's bibliography of novels is an amazing resource (available online, and Lo has supplemented it on her own website).

Also, if you are interested in reading more modern YA books with lesbian protagonists, here is a list that I compiled for an appendix! I'm going to make a note that these are books that have protagonists that are lesbians, and not necessarily just secondary characters:

I had a lot of fun researching this topic, and I am feeling pretty optimistic about all of the new books that have come out in the last year (and are coming out this year) that will provide more diversity in YA. But! There is still a huge gap--where are the books about bisexual characters? And when can we start reading about characters who aren't secondary or protagonists that aren't just stars in contemporary novels that only explore social issues? (This is why I like Malinda Lo's books--she writes fantasy and science fiction!)

I really welcome any comments, opinions, or book recommendations!

ETA: Here is a list of books with lesbian protagonists, alphabetical by title. I'll update it as more come out!

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Once, Cat and Patrick were best friends and told each other everything. But for the past few years Cat has been quiet and withdrawn, and Patrick has given up on being as close to her as they once were. When Patrick is brutally attacked for the simple fact that he is gay, the crime brings Cat to reality and she wants justice for Patrick, who lies in a coma. No one in their small, Southern town seems to be doing anything to get to the bottom of the attack, and so Cat sets out to investigate on her own, traversing a dangerous landscape of bitter friends, buried secrets, meth addicts, and prejudice that could prove to be deadly.

Shine is without a doubt Myracle's most unsettling book yet. Her depictions of the small town that Cat grows up in and the people that inhabit it are vivid and sometimes unexpected, yet always realistic. Most of the people that Cat encounters are unworldly and ignorant, or confused characters that can be a little wild, yet surprising in nature. The dynamics between the friends that Cat has known for years are well-drawn, especially as Cat starts probing into the truth and it surprised by what she learns about some of the people that she has grown up with. Myracle also portrays the complicated nature of bullying by showing that sometimes bullies are the people you know well, the people you call friends, the people that you cannot stand up to. Cat has a rough time of it when she is forced to face her bullies and abusers and their actions derail her, yet she never lets her guard down. She is a girl with a lot of anger and guilt, yet she turns those emotions into an impetus to be brave and confident and face the ugliness in her life, which is a hard-learned and admirable lesson that anyone can benefit from. Shine is a tense, stark, and surprisingly heartrending book that will stick with readers for a long time to come.

Cover Comments: This cover is gorgeous. I love the colors, and how this cover gives the impression of strength and endurance in the face of hardship. The artwork continues inside the book, although I confess that I purchased this book when it was on sale on Kindle, and so it was hard to view them on my black and white screen. If you are going to buy this book, I recommend getting a paper copy! The artwork is haunting.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Today is William Shakespeare's 449th birthday! This year, I have had the privilege of helping coordinate the annual Shakespeare Fest in my town with two friends. I won't be acting, but I will be reciting one of my favorite sonnets, Sonnet 116:

Let me not to the marriage of true mindsAdmit impediments. Love is not loveWhich alters when it alteration finds,Or bends with the remover to remove:O no! it is an ever-fixed mark That looks on tempests and is never shaken;It is the star to every wandering bark,Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks Within his bending sickle's compass come: Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom. If this be error and upon me proved, I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

One book that has people talking on the blogosphere is The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey...it has a cool/creepy cover, a mysterious title, and an even more intriguing description. I've read a ton of really positive reviews on it, and so I am happy to be able to offer you all a chance to win an ARC of the novel, thanks to the generosity of Penguin Group!

First, a little more about the book:

"The Passage meets Ender's Game in an epic new series from award-winning author Rick Yancey.

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it's the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth's last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker. Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie's only hope for rescuing her brother--or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up."

Saturday, April 20, 2013

I love, love, love Stephanie Perkins's first two books, Anna and the French Kiss and Lola and the Boy Next Door! Their covers a bright, fun, and really romantic and I love how they capture the personalities of each of the protagonists and offer a glimpse at the settings of the novels. So, I was slightly disappointed when I saw that Stephanie's third book, Isla and the Happily Ever After, had a new cover completely different from her previous books, and that the other books got a cover lift.

First, here are the original covers for the first two:

Cute, right? And now, here are the new covers:

I'll admit, my first reaction wasn't all that favorable, but the more I look at them, the more I like them! They are still bright and fun, and they still have the famous landmarks of their settings. They are also slightly more sophisticated, which I hope will appeal to a wider audience. I love Stephanie's writing, and even though it's most fun and sweet, it's also serious at times and not all fluff, and I think that these beautiful new covers reflect that!

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Josie Moraine knows that she doesn't want to spend her entire life in New Orleans, but she feels trapped—by her circumstance, her loyalties, and her connection to Willie, a madam of a successful brothel in the French Quarter. Josie concocts a plan to get out of the city and head to college, but her life is thrown into an upheaval when a stranger dies on New Year's Eve and his death is somehow connected to Josie's mother and the mob. Josie must make a decision—between her life and family in New Orleans, or the promise of a future out of the Easy.

Ruta Sepetys has written yet another fascinating and wonderfully realistic historical fiction novel. Josie is a strong narrator and protagonist with a straightforward, wry, and sometimes darkly comedic voice. She is extremely likable, determined, and courageous, yet she is not without her flaws and hang-ups as she handles her feelings for her absent-minded floozy of mother and she can't seem to let go of the idea of a father she'll never know, sometimes to her own detriment. Sepetys doesn't shy away from the grittiness of the setting or the reality of Josie's situation as the daughter of a prostitute in the French Quarter with big aspirations. Josie is hard-working and level-headed, but she isn't sheltered from the humiliation and degradation of those that would judge her because of her family and associations. Sepetys captures the emotional tumult of Josie's relationships with her mother, Willie, and her friends very well, and the agonizing decisions Josie faces as she is forced to decide just how far she is willing to go to get what she wants. The plot is fast-moving and sharp, and the ending a rewarding one for both Josie and the reader, realistic and appropriately optimistic. Out of the Easy is an excellent, entertaining, and sometimes heartbreaking book that you won't soon forget.

Cover Comments: I love this cover so much--the green is pretty, and I like how the girl is partially obscured by the birdcage--very significant to the story! Beautiful!

Friday, April 12, 2013

To celebrate Poetry Month, I want to talk about some of my favorite YA novels written in verse! There are a lot more of them than you'd think, but here are some of my favorites, plus a couple that are in my TBR pile!

After the Kiss by Terra Elan McVoy

I love Terra Elan McVoy's second book--so far it's my favorite of her books (and I really love her books). The poetry in this novel is just so, so great, and I love the alternating perspectives of each of the protagonists. Read my review here.

The Best and Hardest Thing by Pat Brisson

This is the story of Molly, who decides she needs a change and that she wants to be brave and outgoing, but finds that you don't become those things by snagging a boyfriend, but by making the best, hard, responsibly decisions. Read my review here.

Because I Am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas

This is a moving story about abuse, feeling invisible, and developing a strong voice. You won't be able to put it down, nor will you be able to forget this story. Read my review here.

Books by Lisa Schroeder

My favorite verse novel by Lisa Schroeder is Far From You. I really enjoyed Chasing Brooklyn and I want to read her others, Falling for You, The Day Before, and I Heart You, You Haunt Me. Click on the links above to read my reviews!

Books by Sonya Sones

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies was the first book I read in verse (my review here), and I really enjoyed it! It's a quick, enjoyable book and I highly recommend it. I also really loved What My Mother Doesn't Know, and the follow up, What My Girlfriend Doesn't Know.

Books by Ellen Hopkins

Perhaps the most popular writer of YA novels in verse, Ellen Hopkins is a magnificent writer and her books are unflinching portrayals of some of the darkest subjects. My favorite is Burned, but I also enjoyed Identical, Impulse, Perfect, Tricks, and of course her trilogy Crank, Glass, and Fallout. I'm also looking forward to reading Tilt and Smoke (sequel to Burned!).

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Ever since Angie's soldier sister was captured in Iraq, everyone believe she is dead. But Angie won't accept that—she needs to believe her sister is alive. Believing that she is alive gets Angie through the vicious bullying at school, the appointments with a shrink that dismisses her pain, and her mother's disdain about Angie's weight. But everything changes the day KC Romance transfers to Angie's school. KC is like no one that Angie has ever known; she actually sees more than just Angie’s weight and her pain. The two become friends, with surprising, wonderful, heartrending outcomes.

e. E Charlton-Trujillo is an excellent writer; her diction and pacing are excellent and eccentric, and Fat Angie is a funny, dark, heartbreaking, and charming book. The odd combination of the humorous and tragic makes this book so compelling, and Angie is an easy character is like. Her sudden bursts of courage and her uncertainty will ring true for anyone who has tried to make sense of this confusing world, and her desperate hopes and fierce determination are completely relatable. The bullying in this book (both by Angie's classmates and her mother) is intense and heartbreaking, but KC appears like a ray sunshine in all of Angie's darkness. Their friendship and subsequent romance is beautifully rendered; fragile, magnetic, and completely undeniable. Charlton-Trujillo has a wonderful talent for making readers laugh, cry, cringe, and smile in the space of a single page and Fat Angie is an important, moving, and sweet book that you won't soon forget.

Cover Comments: I love the blue of the cover, and the purple heart! This is one of those detailed covers that you can stare at for a long time, and every time you look at it, you'll notice a new detail.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

I had almost forgotten that April is Poetry Month (how? I do not know...) when I stumbled across one of my favorite Edna St. Vincent Millay poems. I thought I'd share it here with you:

Spring

by Edna St. Vincent Millay

To what purpose, April, do you return again?Beauty is not enough.You can no longer quiet me with the rednessOf little leaves opening stickily.I know what I know.The sun is hot on my neck as I observeThe spikes of the crocus.The smell of the earth is good.It is apparent that there is no death.But what does that signify?Not only under ground are the brains of menEaten by maggots.Life in itselfIs nothing,An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs.It is not enough that yearly, down this hill,AprilComes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Lena's world was rocked once again when she discovered that Alex didn't die during her escape as she once though…but he bitter and not the same Alex she knew back in Portland. She is unsure of how to balance her relationships with Alex and Julian while staying focused on the building momentum of the resistance. Meanwhile, Lena's once best friend Hana has undergone the cure for her deliria and is preparing for her marriage to the mayor of Portland. Yet, Hana can't help but feel as if something is still wrong with her, and she’s been thinking about Lena a lot lately. As the conflict heightens between the resistance and Hana's world, the girls are slowly drawn together once again in a tense, emotional reunion that will force each girl to finally make a decision about where she stands.

Requiem is a wonderfully written conclusion to the Delirium Trilogy. Oliver balances Lena and Hana's perspectives well, giving readers a glimpse of each side of the conflict, revealing Hana's motivations for her actions in previous books, and exploring the mind and motivations of one who has received the cure. Oliver really ratchets up the tension and violence in this third book; the resistance is in greater danger, facing betrayals, sudden attacks, and armies of the cured. Throughout all of this peril, Lena ponders what exactly it is that she is fighting for when life seems so dire and love has gotten complicated. Oliver uses the Biblical story of Solomon, the two women, and the baby as a metaphor for the complicated relationships Lena has with Julian, Alex, and her mother, and as a way to address the duality of love and war, and the freedom to choose right or wrong. It’s a very apt story, and also works to show the warped sensibilities of those fighting for a cure for love, and by the time Lena finally understands the story, she is certain in the decisions she makes and the actions she takes. The ending of the trilogy is unexpected, but surprisingly fitting. Oliver doesn't try to sell a happy, shiny conclusion, but instead ends with hope, a promise, and a manifesto to lead to a better future. Requiem is completely engrossing and a breathtakingly beautiful final book in this trilogy.

Cover Comments: I think these covers are beautiful, and I like that they focus on faces for once. I love the shimmery finish on the hard copies, and the brilliant colors of the flowers. It is an interesting contrast to the starkness of the novels, where most of the story is set in the wilds, which aren't very pretty and shiny at all. But, these covers really stand out on the shelf and are lovely.

Review copy provided by publisher.

If you aren't into e-reading, you should know that all of the Delirium short stories are now available in one paperback collection called Delirium Stories! These are a fun addition to the trilogy--look for my review of the collection soon!

Monday, April 8, 2013

One of my favorite books of 2013 is Level 2 by Lenore Appelhans. The premise is cool and a bit mind-bending, the cover is awesome, and the writing is sharp and entertaining. Plus, Lenore is a fellow book blogger, which is awesome!

I was on the official Facebook page when I noticed that Lenore's book is getting not only a new cover, but a new title as well! Check it out:

First off, let me say that I adore this new title! It is so fitting for the story, and it really makes you pause and think. Excellent title, and I like the new title for the sequel, Chasing Before (previously Level 3), a lot! I really liked the title Level 2, but I can see how some people might be a little confused and think it was sequel to another book--this is a good replacement.

I do like the fact that they kept the original model and the same feel of white pod, and the girl trapped. I really do miss the vertical slant to the title and the pop of color that the pink brought to the image, though. To me, this cover is striking, but not as memorable as the original hardcover cover.

What do you think of the new look and new title? If you haven't read the book yet, I highly recommend that you pick up Level 2 now, or grab it as The Memory of After when it's out in paperback this fall!

Saturday, April 6, 2013

I don't read a lot of Middle Grade fiction, and what I do read is usually limited to books by authors of YA books that I have enjoyed, but I figured since I will soon have to begin reading a lot more, I'd get a head start. This book came highly recommended and I am happy to report that it lived up to the hype!

Dini and Maddie are best friends, and they both love spending their days watching Bollywood movies starring Dolly Singh. When Dini's mom gets a job in India, the only consolation Maddie can give to her friend is that having to move to India will bring Dini closer to Dolly. But India is a big country, and Dini isn't entirely convinced that her new home in the small town of Swapnagiri will put her in a position to meet Dolly—or will it?

I love so many things about this book—the setting, the language, the characters, and the vibrant descriptions all made this whimsical story stand out and the pages fly by too quickly. Coincidence and serendipity play a nice role in how the plot unfolds, and I enjoyed how the points of view rotated through a couple of secondary characters, but for the most part the story stayed with Dini, who is a charming and entertaining protagonist. Her discovery of Swapnagiri and trials in making friends, in between Bollywood references and emails to Maddie, are alternatively fun and challenging for Dini, but she ultimately learns the importance of being observant and learning how to problem-solve, and when to listen and when to take a step back and not meddle. The Grand Plan to Fix Everything is a heartfelt and delightful book with a nice little mystery to unravel, and readers will find it difficult to resist Dini's enthusiasm and charisma.

Cover Comments: I love this cover so much. The vibrant colors fit the story so well, and the picture winds around on the back cover to include a map of the US and Maddie as well. Very nice!

Monday, April 1, 2013

I am a Michigan girl, which means I can show you where my hometown is on the back of my hand, I've spent more time swimming in Lake Michigan than in any ocean, and UP is not just a direction. I love reading about books set in my home state and I've slowly been amassing a list of great YA reads with familiar settings. Here are a few of my favorites!

Welcome to The Compulsive Reader!

Formerly a YA book blog, TheCompulsiveReader.com is now the personal bookish blog of YA writer Tirzah Price! For more frequent dispatches about books, writing, and general nonsense, check out Book Riot, head over to Twitter or follow TirzahPrice on Litsy!